Game apparatus



Feng, i927. 1,617,243

AAAAAAAAAAA US 1926 2 SiS-Sh 1 Illumina y 1617243 Feb. 8,1927.lTFLANAGAN GAME APBARATUS Filed Maron 10. 192e 2 sheets-suena INVENTORWIT SsEs a@ /arqgarz,

:gv/MM] ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 8, 1927,

UNITED STATES THOMAS FLANAGAN, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

yGranma APPARATUS.

Application led March 10, 1926. Serial No. 93,687.

The present invention is concerned with the provision of novel apparatusfor playing the game of battledore and shuttlecock, and with a noveltype of field upon which the game may be played in a unique manner.

An object of the invention is to provide a playing field upon which thegame of battledore andl shuttlecock may be played in accordance with aninteresting series of rules which I have devised. A

A further object is to provide a novel type of shuttlecock, the ballportion of which will be light and resilient, and the feather portionsof which are attached to the ball in a unique manner and are well suitedforretarding and guiding the. movement of the ball portion.

A further object is to provide a novel type of battledore which will bemuch more effective than the usual string covered racquets, and withwhich the shuttlecock may' be driven fora considerablel distance, or toa considerable height.

Further objects of the invention are to 25, provide game apparatus ofthis character of simple, practical construction ,which will serve vtoamuse both old and young alike, as

" well as afford themA healthful exercise, andwhich may be manufacturedwith comparative economy. i

With the above noted and other object s in `view, the invention consistsin certain novel features of construction and combinations andarrangements of parts, as will be more 'fully hereinafter set forth andpointed out in the claims. The invention may be more fully understoodfrom the following n description in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, whereinf Fig. 1 is a plan view of the playing field. Fig. 2 isa view in side elevation of the shuttlecock.

Fig. 3` is a transverse sectional view there- -through.

-Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the battledore, parts beingbroken away and in section for clearness.

Fig. '5 Iis a transverse sectional view on the line 5--5' ofFig. 4.v 50Fig. ,6 is an enlarged transverse, sectional view on the line 6 6 ofFig. 4.

The game of battledre and shuttlecock maybe played either indoors oroutdoors. The playing fields may be in the nature of As shown, the fieldconsists of a suitable surface 10 which may represent a grass plot, 65

a floor, or a sheet of material s uch as canvas or the like. Upon thefield I provide four bases 11 of approximately circular shape, thesebases being identified a's by the use of identifying characters 1, 2,Band 4. The i bases are at the four corners of a rectangle or square,and are connected by relatively narrow base lines 12. Centrally of thesquare is a fifth base 13 ,which preferably y carries its identifyingindicia such for instance as the `numeral 5.. The portion of the playingfield not covered by the bases or the base lines is known as the neutralzone. The manner of playing the game and the rules for playing the gameupon the playing field shown in Fig. 1 will be more fully hereinafterset forth. Y

In Figs. 2 and 3, I have illustrated a shutvtlecock which in its generalappearance is rather similar to the shuttlecocks which 854 have beenpreviously used. The device is of unusual simple construction however,and y has proven highly resilient and' edecti've in use. l It consistsmerely of a ball portion 14 of sponge rubber, into which are insertedthe pointed ends of a number of quills 15, the feathered ends 16 ofwhich are cut off to vprovide fiat ends 17.A All of the quills are ofthe same length and they are arranged in a circular series upon thesurface i ofthe ball so that they co-operatively define` a tapering airpocket between them, and accurately guide the ball in its flight.

My novel type of battledore indicated in Figures 4, 5 and -represents adeparture 100 l from the usual construction of such devices.

It includes a handle 18 and a head frame 19, the ends of which arereinforced at 19a and received in grooves or recesses 20 in the y upperend of the' handle 18, and lretained in 105 place by a binding strip 21.The head of the battledore instead of being strung with gut or lacing inthe usual manner, lscovered by drum-like head of sheet rubber, orequivalent material 22, the material 22 beingstretched over the head andconforming to the shape of the frame 19 by its own inherent resiliency.

When the shuttlecock is struck bythe battledore", the former will bedriven to a considerable distance due to the combined resilient actionof the ball 14 and the tautly stretched rubber striking surface 22.

Obviously the battledore and shuttlecock may be used in the usual mannerWithout requiring any special playing field. I have found however, thatby using the iield which is shown in Fig. l, a very interesting andamusing game may be played. The game may be played by two ormorep'layers, each player preferably guarding one of the bases 1, 2, 3or 4. An object of the game is to cause the shuttlecock to drop upon oneof the bases which the opponents are guarding, and to avoid steppingeither upon the bases or upon thebase lines when defending the bases.Preferably the players are arranged inside of the square defined by thebase lines, each one in front of his own base. The player winning theservice delivers across the base 5 to his opponent, endeavoring to landthe shuttlecock on the opponentsbase. The opponent striking theshuttlecock with the battledore directs it toward one of the otherplayers, and the shuttlecock is knocked back and forth either until itlands upon one of the bases, or until one of the players steps upon thebases or the base lines While the shuttlecock is in the air.

T he particular penalty involved for having the shuttlecock land uponthe base which a ,playery is depending, may be previously agreed upon,and the particular penalty for Lamai@ stepping upon the base or baseline is also agreed upon.

Obviously the particular method of scoring and the arrangement of rulesforms no part of the present invention, but is merely mentioned here toindicate the possibilities of the playing field laid out as shown.

Various changes and alterations might be made in the general form andarrangement of parts described Without departing from the invention.Hence I do not Wish to limit myself to the details set forth, but shallconsider myself at libertyto make such changes and alterations as fairlyfall Within' the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1 1. A battledore including a handle. \a head frame secured tothe handleand a bag-like rubber'case stretched'over the frame and.-

constituting a head.

2. A battledore including a handle, ahead frame secured to the handleand a bag-like rubber case stretched over the framel and constituting ahead, said rubber conforming `bv its own resiliency to the shape of thesheets.

THOMAS FLANAGAN.

